The invention relates to a memory device comprising a memory chip and a controller, which can be connected to a computer via a USB (Universal Serial Bus) connector.
Such a memory device is known in various embodiments, in which the housing of the memory device is a rectangular block, a key ring or the like, for example. The USB connector is fixedly connected to the housing of the memory device, and usually a loose protective cap or the like is used for the USB connector to protect the USB connector from damage, dirt and the like. One drawback of the known memory device is the fact that, due to the selected shape of the housing, it is usually not possible, for example in the case of computers having two more USB ports positioned adjacently to each other, to connect two memory devices to said slots at the same time. In addition, the housing of the known memory device makes it difficult to simply store or mail the memory device.
DE-U-202 07 720 and U.S. Pat. No. 6,567,273 disclose a memory device of this type, wherein the USB connector is movable between a position of rest, in which the connector is accommodated in an opening of the memory device, and an operative position, in which the connector projects beyond the perimeter of the memory device. In the position of rest the connection side of the USB connector is accessible from the outside so that the connector can easily be damaged and/or dirt can cause malfunctioning.
The object of the invention is to provide a memory device of the kind as referred to above, in which the draw-backs of the known memory device are eliminated in a simple yet efficient manner.